Several key eventing nations are about to learn if they have made the cut for the London 2012 eventing competition.

Eleven countries were through by last autumn via a regional quota but others remained on tenterhooks, reliant on rider rankings points accrued right up to tomorrow’s cut-off date. About 20 extra riders will get into Greenwich this way.

Australia has won three team golds in recent Olympics but were caught looking the other way last September and ousted by a delirious Japan for the Asia Pacific region’s 2012 slot. However, they are now safely in, thanks to a massive concentration of riders at the top of the individual listings. However, there may be different angst to come, for their selectors are spoiled… Read More

The tears shed by Britain’s rhythmic gymnasts when they failed to meet their Olympic selection target in January may have tugged at the heart-strings but the independent arbitration panel that will decide on Wednesday whether they will go to the London Olympics or miss out on the world’s greatest sports festival must not allow themselves to be swayed by emotion.

They must confine themselves to the cold, hard facts and decide accordingly. Anything else would make a nonsense of the British Olympic Association’s declared selection policy of only taking up guaranteed host-nation spots if the athletes can demonstrate a credible, and measurable, level of performance.

To make an exception of the rhythmic gymnasts would be unfair on the hundreds of other athletes who will… Read More

If last weekend’s results were a reality check for Newcastle and Sunderland, it was not a particularly harsh one.

So Newcastle were humiliated by Tottenham, out-played, out-classed and out-scored five goals to zero, but it was arguably the first time that has happened this season so nobody should be too upset.

So Sunderland were beaten at home by Arsenal and struggled to get out of their own half at times, but it still took an injury-time winner from one of the Premier League’s all-time greats for Arsenal to claim all three points.

Thierry Henry will not be waiting to come off the bench when the two teams meet again in the FA Cup on Saturday and this time it will be Sunderland’s player… Read More

Everyone wants to see Usain Bolt run in the London 2012 Olympic Games 100m final, right? It’s the hottest ticket in London town this year, oversubscribed thousands of times over, according to Games organisers and any straw poll of UK residents.

But talk to the Olympic greats, many in town this week for the Laureus World Sports Awards, and it’s surprising to find what Olympic events tick their box. When the question was asked of Nadia Comaneci, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson and Edwin Moses – 19 Olympic gold medals and 58 World Championship titles between… Read More

I will be honest, if you had told me in August Newcastle United would be sixth in the table in the middle of January, above Liverpool and level on points with Arsenal, I would have smiled politely, shook my head and walked off safe in the knowledge you had absolutely no idea what you were talking about.

There will be some who claim they always believed Alan Pardew had things under control, that Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias knew what they were doing when they refused to spend all the Andy Carroll money on new players in the summer.

There will even be those who stubbornly insist they had no fears following the summer departures of Joey Barton, Jose Enrique and… Read More

This time last year Andy Carroll was Newcastle United’s throwback centre-forward and the future of English football.

A little less than 12 months later and British football’s most expensive player is in danger of becoming a player Liverpool just wish they could throw back and forget about. The question is are they going to throw him back in Newcastle’s direction?

I’ve been asking Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias and manager Alan Pardew whether they were trying to bring Carroll back to Tyneside, on and off, for the last six months. It has always been denied, yet there is no doubt in my mind they would take him back in a flash at the right price.

Back when Joey Barton was a snotty nosed wannabe in the Manchester City youth team, Eric Cantona was an amateur philosopher, style icon and Manchester United kingpin.

Back when Barton was more interested in assaulting teammates, Cantona had moved on to launching a semi-successful big screen acting career.

And now Barton has succeeded the Frenchman as everybody’s favourite pseudo-intellectual footballer via his Twitter feed, Cantona has, erm, launched his political career.

It make you wonder what Barton will try once he has hung up his boots, but ever keen to break the mould Cantona has paved the way again with the news he intends of stand for election to become the president of France later this year.

Martin O’Neill shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat, blinked hard, twice, stared at the desk in front of him and immediately started to talk about Sunderland’s battle against relegation.

The Northern Irishman may have done wonders for Sunderland’s results since he became manager, but the merest mention of the word “messiah” made him feel uncomfortable.

Feet will remain firmly attached to the ground and he has no plans to walk across water any time soon.

Messiahs are a Newcastle thing, except even the Magpies grimace at the word these days. In fact, neither North East club is comfortable with managers/players/chairmen/owners being talked about as messiahs.

It’s not like fans sit in the pub talking about the latest messiah to breeze into… Read More